2 Samuel 24 12

2 Samuel 24:12 kjv

Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

2 Samuel 24:12 nkjv

"Go and tell David, 'Thus says the LORD: "I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you." ' "

2 Samuel 24:12 niv

"Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.'?"

2 Samuel 24:12 esv

"Go and say to David, 'Thus says the LORD, Three things I offer you. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.'"

2 Samuel 24:12 nlt

"Go and say to David, 'This is what the LORD says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will inflict it on you.'"

2 Samuel 24 verses

2 Samuel 24 12 Meaning

2 Samuel 24:12 conveys God's sovereign pronouncement of judgment upon King David, delivered through the prophet Gad. Despite the inevitable consequence of David's sin in numbering Israel, the Lord, in His justice and a form of grace, offers David a choice among three specific punishments. This moment underscores divine authority and the personal responsibility of leaders before God, even as judgment looms.

2 Samuel 24 12 Context

2 Samuel chapter 24 details the events surrounding David's unauthorized census of Israel and Judah. Chapter 24 begins by stating that the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, prompting Him to incite David to take a census (compare 1 Chr 21:1, where "Satan stood against Israel and incited David"). This census was apparently a transgression because it exhibited pride in human strength or military might, possibly lacking reliance on God, or potentially even for taxation/conscription motives contrary to God's law. Joab, David's military commander, even recognized the sinfulness of the act and warned David against it, but David insisted. Having completed the census, David's conscience struck him, and he confessed his great sin to the Lord, seeking forgiveness (2 Sam 24:10). It is in this immediate aftermath of confession that 2 Samuel 24:12 unfolds. The verse establishes the Lord's response: not immediate forgiveness and erasure of consequence, but a direct encounter with judgment, mediated by the prophet Gad. The subsequent verses reveal the specific options of judgment given to David, his difficult choice, and the unfolding of divine discipline upon the nation.

2 Samuel 24 12 Word analysis

• Go (Lekh - לֵךְ): An imperative command, indicating a direct order from God through His prophet. It emphasizes the immediacy and divine urgency of Gad's mission.
• and tell (w’dibarta - וְדִבַּרְתָּ): A direct instruction to convey God's message. It highlights the prophet's role as a divine messenger, delivering verbatim what the Lord has spoken, not his own interpretation or thoughts.
• David (Dāwiḏ - דָּוִד): The direct recipient of the divine message. This indicates God's personal accountability and relationship with His chosen king, despite the severity of the offense.
• Thus says (Kōh ’āmar - כֹּה אָמַר): The quintessential prophetic formula. It confers ultimate divine authority upon the subsequent words, signifying that what follows is not merely Gad's word but the very word of Yahweh (the Lord).
• the Lord (YHWH - יְהוָה): The covenant name of God, indicating His sovereign, personal, and ever-present nature. It emphasizes that the judgment comes from the one true God who is faithful to His covenant but also just.
• I offer you (nōṭēsh ʿālêkā - נוֹטֵשׁ עָלֶיךָ): The verb natash (נָטַשׁ) here means to "lay upon" or "set before." In this context, it implies that God is presenting options for judgment. While David chose to sin, God still sovereignly dictates the form of punishment, even allowing David a choice among the pre-determined forms. It signifies God's justice, which doesn't disregard sin, but also His willingness to involve David in the process of discipline.
• three things (shalōš - שָׁלוֹשׁ): The number three often signifies completeness, divine involvement, or certainty in biblical contexts. Here, it denotes specific, distinct options of judgment, emphasizing that the options are exhaustive and clearly defined by God.
• Choose (beḥar - בְּחַר): An imperative command to David, granting him agency within the pre-determined divine decree of judgment. This emphasizes David's direct responsibility for his choices, even in facing the consequences of his prior sin.
• one of them for yourself (lekhā aḥaṯ - לְךָ אַחַת): This reinforces the personal nature of the choice. David must make a definitive selection that will directly affect him, his family, and his people. It's not an arbitrary selection but a deeply personal decision concerning their shared fate.
• that I may do it to you (wa’eʿeśeh lāk - וְאֶעֱשֶׂה לָּךְ): This phrase asserts God's unwavering intention and power to execute the chosen judgment. It signifies that the consequence is inevitable and will be carried out directly by the Lord Himself, reinforcing His sovereign power and justice.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Go and tell David, 'Thus says the Lord'": This opening establishes the prophetic chain of command: God to Gad, Gad to David. It emphasizes the absolute authority of the message that follows, removing any doubt about its divine origin. This formula is common for significant divine decrees, affirming God's direct communication with humanity, often through chosen mediators.
• "I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself": This complex phrase presents both divine sovereignty and human responsibility in judgment. God determines the scope of the punishment (three fixed options), but David retains the choice of its form. This allows for a measure of David's engagement and ownership of the consequence, placing him actively in the decision-making process for his own discipline. It underscores that even in judgment, God relates to David as a covenant king, allowing a measure of agency.
• "that I may do it to you": This concluding phrase powerfully confirms the immutability of God's will. Once David chooses, God's promise to execute the chosen judgment is final and unalterable. It removes any possibility of evasion or negotiation, demonstrating the certainty of divine retribution for sin. It underscores that judgment, though delayed, is inevitable and will be fully administered by the sovereign hand of God.

2 Samuel 24 12 Bonus section

The seemingly paradoxical notion of God "inciting" David in 2 Samuel 24:1 and "Satan inciting" in 1 Chronicles 21:1, as seen in the broader context of David's sin leading to this verse, highlights the deep mystery of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Scholarly understanding often points to the ultimate permissive will of God. God can "stir up" (allowing an agent to act, or bringing about circumstances) what another agent (like Satan) might tempt or incite directly. This does not mean God tempts to sin, but rather that nothing, not even the actions of evil, occurs outside His ultimate plan or without His allowance. In David's case, God’s anger against Israel likely stemmed from a broader disobedient condition in the nation (reflected in "the Lord's anger burned against Israel," 2 Sam 24:1). David’s prideful act then becomes the specific trigger for the expression of that already kindled anger, leading to the consequences presented in this verse. Therefore, while Satan tempted, it was within God's sovereign allowance and ultimately for a divine purpose—to reveal the deep consequences of sin and to humble David. This serves to demonstrate that divine discipline is both a direct result of human sin and also a manifestation of God's overarching justice and control.

2 Samuel 24 12 Commentary

2 Samuel 24:12 stands as a potent statement of divine justice and God's interaction with a sinning, yet repentant, leader. Following David's sin in numbering Israel—an act born of pride or misplaced reliance—and his subsequent confession, the Lord responds not with immediate absolution from all consequence, but with a direct prophetic pronouncement of impending judgment. Through the prophet Gad, God reveals His intent to bring about a form of discipline. The offer of "three things" is significant: it communicates that God, in His sovereign determination, will indeed bring affliction, yet He grants David the unusual prerogative to choose the specific nature of that discipline. This unique allowance of choice is not a sign of weakness in God's judgment but rather underscores David's personal responsibility and allows him, even in a state of culpability, to acknowledge God's sovereignty over the impending suffering. It demonstrates that divine discipline, though painful, is a structured and purposeful act from God, who is both just and intimately involved in the lives of His people and their leaders.

• Example for Practical Usage: Just as God confronted David directly about his sin, so too does God call believers to account. When a Christian acts outside God's will (like neglecting biblical commands or acting in pride), God's discipline, though potentially difficult, is an act of His loving care to restore them, often giving a period to repent and choose alignment with Him, leading to ultimate spiritual growth, similar to how a father disciplines a child he loves (Heb 12:6).